Shirt hanger



April 27, 1965 J. s. MAGIERA 3,180,544

SHIRT HANGER Filed Nov. 14, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH S. MAGIERA ATTORNEYS April 1965 J. s. MAGIERA 3,180,544

SHIRT HANGER Filed Nov. 14, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH S. MAGIERA ATTORNEYS April 1965 J. s. MAGIERA 3,180,544

SHIRT HANGER Filed Nov. 14. 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

JOSEPH S. MAGIERA ATTQRNEYS United States Patent Ofifice 3,l8h,544 Patented Apr. 27, 1%65 3,186,544 ST HANGER Joseph S. Magiera, 446 S. Falcon St., South Bend, Ind. Filed Nov. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 237,476 6 Claims. (Cl. 223-81) The present invention relates to hangers and more particularly to a hanger for shirts of the drip-dry type.

In recent years, shirts which can be washed and dried and worn without ironing or pressing have become popular and are made of a variety of different types of materials, including treated cotton and synthetic yarns. These shirts are washed in the conventional manner and are then usually hung on conventional hangers consisting of two shoulder supports extending more or less straight from the center of the hanger and a wire member extending upwardly from the center where the two shoulder supports join, and terminating in a conventional hook for supporting the hanger on a line or other suitable supporting structure. This type of hanger is often constructed of wire or a combination of wood or plastic for the shoulder supports and wire for the hook and the member connecting the hook to the shoulder supports. In these conventional hangers, no means is provided for holding, supporting or shaping the collar, and consequently the collar drapes downwardly, either at the front with the inside of the collar in contact with and creased by the hook member or at the front and rear with the collar being distorted or creased where it crosses over the shoulder supports. When the shirt has become fully dry after being held in either of the two draped positions, the collar remains in a distorted and wrinkled condition while the shirt is being worn. It is therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a hanger for drip-dry shirts which supports the shirt collar throughout the entire drying process in its natural position above and separated from the shoulder supports so that the collar has the appearance of an ironed shirt, and which prevents the collar from draping forwardly or rearwardly and from resting on or engaging the shoulder supports of the hanger.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shirt hanger on which the collar of the shirt is held in a shaped position, regardless of the size of the shirt, and on which the shirt can be readily and easily hung, while wet, in the natural wearing position, and thereafter positively held in that positionuntil the shirt is fully dry.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hanger of the aforesaid type with a collar support and shaping attachment which can be adjusted to fit any size collar, and which is so mounted on and connected to the remainder of the hanger that the body of the shirt can be easily placed on the shoulder supports Without any appreciable interference from the collar attachment.

A further object is to provide a relatively simple, easily fabricated hanger for drip-dry shirts which can be made principally of wire and fabricated on standard machines and fixtures, and which can be easily handled in shipping and for storing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shirt hanger which can be effectively used for drying shirts and the like with the collars thereof supported in normal wearing position, and which can be used, if desired, in the same manner as a conventional hanger without any interference from the collar attachment.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the present shirt hanger with a shirt hung thereon for drying;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the present shirt hanger with the shirt removed therefrom;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the shirt hanger shown in FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary partial cross sectional view of a modified form of the present shirt hanger, showing the collar support in its operative position; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary partial cross sectional view of the modified form shown in FIGURE 4 showing the collar support in its non-operating position.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and to FIGURE 1 in particular, numeral 10 designates the present shirt hanger and 12 a shirt of the drip-dry type sup ported on the hanger and on the collar attachment therefor. The present hanger may be used for a number of different types of shirts, blouses and the like, and the size and design may be changed to satisfy any special requirements. However, the standard size for conventional wire hangers extensively used by cleaning establishments is satisfactory for most purposes and is illustrated in the present drawings.

The base portion 16 of the present shirt hanger consists ofshoulder supports 18 and 20, twisted or otherwise joined together at the top and center as indicated by numeral 22, and the external and lower ends of shoulder supports 18 and 20 are connected to one another by a reinforcing member 24. The entire base portion 16 of the hanger is preferably formed from wire as a single integral unit and a wire hook and connecting member extends upwardly from base portion 15 and is preferably formed integrally with either of the shoulder supports 18 or 20, terminating in an inverted U-shaped portion 32 forming a hook for supporting the hanger. The hook portion 32 is connected to one of the shoulder supports 18 or 20 by an elongated wire stem 34, which may be of any desired length so long as sufficient room or space above the main part of the hanger is provided to permit the shirt to be easily placed on and removed from the hanger. Standard wire and fabricating equipment may be used in producing the portion of the hanger thus far described.

In the form of the present invention disclosed in FIG- URES l, 2 and 3, a collar support is mounted in fixed position on the hanger above the base portion and consists of a collar member 42 supported on the hanger by a bracket 44 joined rigidly at its upper end 46 to member 34 and connected at its lower end 48 to and extending along the internal side and at the rear of collar member 42. The bracket extends rearwardly a substantial distance beyond the vertical transverse plane of base portion 16 and the rear surface of collar 40 in order to permit the external portion of the shirt collar to be placed over collar member 42. Bracket 44 rigidly supports collar member 42 in the position shown in FIG- URES 1, 2 and 3 and is preferably connected to an internal reinforcing rib 49 extending along the internal surface of collar member 42, the reinforcing member being rigidly attached to the inner end 43 of bracket 44 and being of suificient strength to retain the collar in any desired position or shape. Collar member 42 is spaced above shoulder support portions 18 and 20 same manner as illustrated in FIGURE 1.

sufficiently to permit the shoulder portions of the shirt to pass beneath the collar member.

When the foregoing shirt hanger is to be used, a freshly washed and Wet shirtof the drip-dry type is placed over the body portion 16 of the hanger with the shoulders of the shirt resting on shoulder members 18 and 20. The collar is then brought upwardly on the inner side of collar member 42 and the external free edge of the collar is then placed around the external surface of collar member 42 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1. Thus, collar member 42 is placed between the internal and external portions of the conventional collar, giving support to both the internal and external collar portions and retaining and supporting the two portions I in the normal Wearing position and thus preventing draping, either on the front or rear of the shirt, which normally causes wrinkling and creasing of the collar.

After the collar has been straightened on collar member 42 to its natural position and the shirt positioned on the shoulder support members 18 and 20, the shirt is preferably buttoned to retain it in position throughout the drying operation while the hanger is supported on a line or hook by hook member 32. After the shirt has fully dried, it is unbuttoned and lifted up sufficiently to permit the collar to pass downwardly through the internal portion of collar member 42. The shirt is then removed from the hanger in the conventional manner.

In the embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIG- URES 4 and 5, the body portion 16 and hook member 32- are the same as those shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3, .and hence these parts will not be described in detail with reference to the modified form. Likewise, the structure' of collar member 42 is the same in the modification as in the previously described embodiment of the invention. In the modified form of'the present invention, the upper end 46 of bracket 44 is rigidly. connected to a sleeve 50 which is adapted to move vertically on hook stem34 from the position shown in FIG- URE 4 to the position shown in FIGURE 5. The bracket is of substantially the same shape as that shown in FIGURE 3 and is connected in the same mannerto collar member 42 and/or reinforcing member 49. It is seen that the bracket 44 and collar member 42 can be readily raised from the position shown in FIGURE 4 to the position shown in FIGURE 5, thus providing adequate space to readily mount the shirt'on body portion 16 with the collar around portion 22 in close proximity thereto. With the shirt in this position, bracket 44 and collar member 42 are lowered to the position shown in FIGURE 4 and the external portion of the shirt collar then placed over collar member 42 for drying in the The collar member 42remains in its lowered position throughout the drying operation and is only raised to its elevated position shown in FIGURE 5 when the shirt is being 7 placed on and removed from the hanger.

One of the advantages of the construction of the present shirt hanger shown in the drawings isin the adjustability of the collar member 42, which is preferably formed of flexible plastic or relatively stiff moisture proof paper. It is seen that since reinforcing wire 49 may be bent inwardly or outwardly, the collar member 42 can be enlarged or decreased to satisfy variations in collar sizes from one shirt to another. -If'desired, the collar member 42 may be omitted and a member similar to reinforcing Wire 49 used in its place. In this modification, the reinforcing wire is placed between the two portions of the collar at the upper inside edge thereof and supports thecollar in the same manner as collar member 42.

'The two hangers illustrating the present invention are formed of wire throughout with the exception of collar: member 42 and sleeve 50, and this sleeve may be re- 7 wardly and upwardly extending portion on the lower end 'thereof, and a flexible collar member mounted on the may be used if desired for both the base portion and collar member bracket. While only two forms of the present invention have been described in detail herein, various further changes and modifications may be made to satisfy requirements.

I claim:

1. A hanger for drip-dry shirts, comprising laterally and downwardly extending shoulder support members of wire, said members being connected to one another at the top and center, a member connecting the lower portions of said members, a stem of wire connected to the top and center of said shoulder support members and extending upwardly therefrom, a hook on the upper end of said stem, a sleeve mounted and slidable on said stem, a bracket of wire extending rearwardly from said sleeve and downwardly and having an inwardly and upwardly extending portion on the lower end thereof, a collar member of plastic material mounted, on the lower end of said bracket and spaced from and extending substantially around said stem, and a flexible reinforcing member secured to said bracket and to said collar member for adjusting said collar member to various sized shirt collars.

2. A hanger for shirts and the like, comprising laterally and downwardly extending shoulder support members, said members being connected to one another at the top and center, astem connected to' the top and centerof said shoulder support members and extending upwardly therefrom, a hookon the upper end of said stem, a sleeve mounted and slidable on said stem, a bracket extending rearwardly from said sleeve and downwardly and having an inwardly and upwardly extending portion on the lower end thereof, and a collar member mountedon the lower end of said bracket and spaced from and extending sub stantially around said stem.

3. A hanger for shirts and the like, comprising laterally extending shoulder support members, a stem connected to the top and center of said shoulder support members and extending upwardly therefrom, a sleeve mounted and slidable on said stem, a bracket extending rearwardly from said sleeve and downwardly and having an inlower end of said bracket and spaced from and extending substantially around said stem;

4. A hanger for shirts and the, like, comprising laterally and downwardly extending shoulder support members of Wire, said members being connected to one another at the top and center, a member connecting the lower portions of said members, a stem of wire connected to the topand center of said shoulder support members and extending upwardlytherefrom, a hook on the upper end of said stem, a bracket of wire extending rearwardly a from said stem and downwardly and having an inwardly and upwardly extending portion on the lower end thereof, a collar member of plastic material mounted on the lower end of said bracket and spaced from and extending substantially around saidstem, and a flexible reinforcing member secured to said bracket and to said collar member for adjusting said collar member to various sized I shirt collars.

placed with a pair of eyes or the like formed from the 5'. A hanger for shirts and the like, comprising laterally and downwardly extending shoulder support members, said members being connected to one another at the top andcenter, a stem connected to the top and center of said shoulder support members and extending upwardly therefrom, a hook on the upper end of said stem, a bracket secured rigidly to and extending rearwardly from said stem and downwardly and having an inwardly and upwardly extending portion on the lower end thereof,

and a collar member mounted on the lower end of said bracket and spaced from and extending substantially around said stem.

6. A hanger for shirts and the like, comprising laterally extending shoulder support members, a stem connected to the top and center of said shoulder support members and extending upwardly therefrom, a bracket extending rearwardly from said stem and downwardly and having an inwardly and upwardly extending portion on the lower end thereof, and a flexible collar member connected to said lower end and spaced from and extending substantially around said stem.

6 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/62 Lilya 223-92 FOREIGN PATENTS 242,462 11/25 Great Britain. JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. RUSSELL C. MADER, Examiner. 

1. A HANGER FOR DRIP-DRY SHIRTS, COMPRISING LATERALLY AND DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING SHOULDER SUPPORT MEMBERS OF WIRE, SAID MEMBERS BEING CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER AT THE TOP AND CENTER, A MEMBER CONNECTING THE LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID MEMBERS, A STEM OF WIRE CONNECTED TO THE TOP AND CENTER OF SAID SHOULDER SUPPORT MEMBERS AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, A HOOK ON THE UPPER END OF SAID STEM, A SLEEVE MOUNTED AND SLIDABLE ON SAID STEM, A BRACKET OF WIRE EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM SAID SLEEVE AND DOWNWARDLY AND HAVING AN INWARDLY AND UPWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION ON THE LOWER END THEREOF, A COLLAR MEMBER OF PLASTIC MATERIAL MOUNTED ON THE LOWER END OF SAID BRACKET AND SPACED FROM AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY AROUND SAID STEM, AND A FLEXIBLE REINFORCING MEMBER SECURED TO SAID BRACKET AND TO SAID COLLAR MEMBER FOR ADJUSTING SAID COLLAR MEMBER TO VARIOUS SIZED SKIRT COLLARS. 